Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee, 23 Jun 1999

Meeting date: Wednesday, June 23, 1999

Official Report 129KB pdf

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Interests

We will start by taking the matter of registering interests very seriously, because this is an important committee of the Parliament.

I have a contract at a college of further and higher education. I tendered my resignation on 7 May but I have not yet completed my notice. I want to register that interest just now, but I will withdraw it at the next committee meeting.

I am not sure whether this is relevant to the register of interests, but I am a former employee of the Open University and my partner works for a scientific research institute in Scotland. As the committee covers the science base, it might be necessary for me to register an interest because of my partner's occupation.

I will jump in where you have left off. My partner is still a member of the board of Scottish Enterprise. Although he has submitted his intention to stand down, he will not come off the board until October. In that respect, like Elaine, I have a tenuous link to the whole thing.

I have to declare an interest as managing director of Eastern Holdings, which is an Edinburgh company that is mainly concerned with the distribution of motor vehicles. I intend to remain a director of the company, although, from September, I will do so in a non-executive capacity.

I should declare that I remain a partner in my firm of professional solicitors in Glasgow. I retain a nominal involvement in the firm; in the unlikely event of any conflict arising I would disclose that appropriately. I have other interests: I am a director of the Prince's Scottish Youth Business Trust, a post that is unremunerated; I am member of the University of Strathclyde court, unremunerated, and I am also the vice-chair of the West of Scotland Advisory Board of the Salvation Army—also unremunerated.

Thank goodness.

I would like to declare that I am a partner of AK Farms, which operates some farming units in Rothesay, Isle of Bute.

Given the remit and functions of this committee, I want to declare my prospective directorship of a charitable company called the Radio City Association, which has been formed to convert a derelict bingo hall into one of the nation's first healthy living centres. It is an unremunerated post.

The only interest that I have declared in the register is my continued association as a member of the Westminster Parliament, which will conclude in two to three years' time.

I am pleased to hear that news about the Westminster Parliament. I am the proprietor of 52 Queen's Drive, Glasgow, where I practised as a lawyer. I remain a partner of Ewing & Company with a nominal involvement, similar to that expressed by Annabel.

I am also a member of the Federation of Small Businesses—which, I am pleased to see, is represented today by John Downie. I am also a member of the Scottish Council Development and Industry, the Forum of Private Business—which, I am pleased to see, is represented today by Bill Anderson—and the Law Society of Scotland.

I am thinking that I should get them to declare an interest as well.

I have declared an interest as an employee of the General, Municipal, Boilermakers and Allied Trades Union, which will cease at the end of the month; I will not carry on with it after that. A constituency plan agreement is in place; the union supports the constituency with a small amount of money. That, too, has been registered.

I think that that concludes that business.

Do we have to declare these interests again at the beginning of every meeting of the committee?

I will take advice on that, but as Annabel said, if the description of a member's interests changes, we would all expect that to be declared at the start of the relevant meeting.

Yes, but we do not have to repeat what we have said about our interests at every meeting.

We do not have to go through the litany at the start of every meeting, although members might want to refer to something that is relevant.

Can I ask a question?

Excuse me, but this is the first meeting in which the oldest member has been asked questions. Yes you can.

I was going to say that I have a constituency-based agreement with the Co-operative party. I did not think that it was relevant but, in the light of other members' declarations, perhaps I should declare that as well.